


in the headlights of a stretch car (you're a star)

by Nunchuckle



Category: Darkwing Duck (Cartoon 1991), Darkwing Duck (Cartoon 2018), DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Coming Out, Gen, If You Squint - Freeform, M/M, Other, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-06
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-11-26 00:10:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20920949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nunchuckle/pseuds/Nunchuckle
Summary: "Being Darkwing isn't a blessing. It's a curse.""...oh.""Well, no, it's actually pretty dang great. I just always wanted to say that."In which Drake and Launchpad bond over injuries, sandwiches and the quirks of being an honest-to-goodness superhero.





	in the headlights of a stretch car (you're a star)

**Author's Note:**

> Haven't dabbled in this fandom in good long while, but I have been watching the show. It's freaking phenomenal. 
> 
> Title is taken from U2's "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" from the Batman Forever OST.

As far as night patrols go, tonight was your typical kind of night and Drake's just a tiny bit disturbed that his new standard for typical now included sprained ankles (yes, both of them), a minor concussion (he's pretty sure) and several attempts on his life. 

"You sure you don't want to go to a hospital, DW? You might need like, an x-ray or something."

Drake tries to shake his head but, again, concussion. _Minor_ concussion. Probably. 

"Nah, I've had a broken leg before. And a fractured arm. And some busted ribs. This ain't it." He says, smiling that perfected hero's smile of his that he's practiced for hours on end in front of a mirror. 

Besides, if he _were_ in real trouble, McDuck Manor was one of the safest places to be. He wasn't _in_ McDuck Manor, but the garage-turned-living quarters beside it was probably one of the _second_ safest places to be. 

"Well, if you're sure, DW. I mean, it's only been a week since the alien invasion. Maybe you should take a break or something." Launchpad says from the small kitchen, fixing what seemed to be a large submarine sandwich. 

"Crime doesn't take a break. And neither does Darkwing Duck," Drake says with conviction, feeling the familiar rush he felt when he first started doing the whole Hero Thing for real. "Darkwing Duck has no limits."

"Ah, episode 34, The Duck Who Laughs! That one's a classic. I had a couple of injuries myself, I think I dislocated my face one time!" Launchpad says, plopping down beside Drake and setting down the submarine sandwich, sliced in two. Two tall glasses of ice cold soda completed the spread. "Help yourself, DW."

Drake smiles and takes one of the massive sandwiches before taking off his mask. "'Drake' is fine. I think you're right, a short break couldn't hurt. Besides, I've got Gos listening to the police scanners back home, she'll ring me up if anything's wrong."

"Gos?" Launchpad asks through a mouthful of sandwich.

"Oh, yeah. I kinda...I guess I adopted a kid?" Drake says with a shrug. "Rescued her from some mafia gang or something."

"Whoa, that's so _cool!_ Is she gonna be your new sidekick?" Launchpad asks giddily, taking another hearty bite of his sandwich. "I always thought Darkwing could've used a sidekick. I had this fanmade character back when I was kid --"

"No way, me too!" Drake says, brandishing the half-eaten sandwich in his hand like a weapon. "Mine was The _Midnight Mallard_! I designed a costume and everything!"

Launchpad stands up, sandwich forgotten on his plate and starts digging around in a small box laying beside the couch. "I've had this drawing for years. I always wanted to get it signed."

Drake squirms uncomfortably as he and Launchpad look at each other. They never found Jim's body after the incident and every now and again, Drake would feel like he was being watched from the shadows.

He takes the worn paper from Launchpad and looks over the faded drawing. It was Darkwing Duck, clad in his classic purple outfit and beside him was obviously a younger Launchpad, dressed in his own modified costume complete with a mask. 

"You've been a fan a long time, huh?" asks Drake, tracing his finger over the drawing. 

"Yeah, just like you Drake! Working for Mister Mcdee's pretty great and all but sometimes, I feel like the best is yet to come!" Launchpad says excitedly, sitting down and continuing to munch on his sandwich. "So, like I was saying, you gonna make Gos your new sidekick?"

Drake's smile fades slightly as he shakes his head. "She's just a kid. And besides, being Darkwing isn't a blessing. It's a curse."

Launchpad's face falls. "Oh."

Drake's features light up as he gives Launchpad a friendly smack on the shoulder. "Actually, no, it's kind of pretty awesome. I just always wanted to say that. Darkwing Duck's really the only thing I've got going on right now and it makes me feel worthwhile." 

"Thought you were serious for a second. It'd really suck if you thought being Darkwing sucked, since I was the one who convinced you to go for it."

Drake shrugs his shoulders and winces a bit. At least he didn't scream out loud like he did a few hours ago when he tried moving his limbs. "Well, I'm glad you did, LP. Honestly, I didn't really know what I was gonna do if _First Darkness_ didn't work out."

Launchpad regards Drake with a curious expression. "Really? But you're so cool, though! I mean, you're like really tough and strong! Did you do any other action movies?"

Drake takes a bite of his sandwich and mulls over the question. "Well, yeah -- just y'know, bit parts and all that. I was a stuntman during my early career, before I started going to actual acting auditions. Didn't really get called back all that often, though."

"Really?"

Drake sighs, rolling his shoulders. He's already been through this before and it's easier to say these days than when he was struggling to get noticed in his auditions, already knowing that he'd never get called back after looking at the panel's faces when he answers that one question they always ask him.

"Yeah, some producers have certain...expectations from their action stars and I wasn't really meeting all their criteria."

Launchpad scratches his head, genuinely confused. "But you're strong, tough, you do your own stunts. Is it because you're short?"

"I am of average height, I'll have you know," Drake splutters indignantly. "And no, it wasn't that."

"But-but you would've been a great action star! What else did they want?"

"Straight."

Launchpad tilts his head, "...I don't get it."

Drake takes a long drink from the soda and clears his throat. "Not a lot of producers want a gay action star, Launchpad."

"...I don't get it."

"_What, _exactly, do you not get?" Drake says, a small bitter laugh bubbling his throat. He never even _considered_ that Launchpad might also have some expectations of the real Darkwing Duck and might not react all that well to this little tidbit of information. "I'm gay, Launchpad. And I'm sorry for letting you down."

"Letting me down? I don't -- you're not letting me down, DW. I'm just surprised those dummies didn't think you'd make a good action star!"

Drake searches Launchpad's face for any hint of malice or sarcasm and sees the same admiration in the larger man's eyes when he was telling him to follow his dream as a hero, that first night they worked together. 

"That...erm...that's uh -- that's good. Means a lot. Thanks...you...um...thank you."

"No problem, Drake. And I want you to know that being Darkwing Duck doesn't make you worthwhile. It's the other way around."

Drake grins and takes another bite of the massive submarine sandwich, feeling his appetite return. "So, you know anyone who's interested in being a sidekick?"

Launchpad grins. "I might. By the way, could you do me a favor?"

Drake takes a swig of his soda and nods. "Well, you're letting me crash here. Shoot, big guy."

He's startled when Launchpad thrusts a pen in front of him, followed by Launchpad's childhood drawing. "Could you? I never did get it signed."

Drake takes the drawing gingerly in his hand and starts writing. "_To my biggest fan, Launchpad McQuack. Thank you and keep getting dangerous. Your friend, Darkwing Duck."_

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Got Drake's "Midnight Mallard" fan character from Midnighter, an actual comic book character from The Authority who's a dark, brooding parody of Batman and is one of the first prominent, openly gay superheroes.


End file.
